A Terrifying Notion
by Emmi.Hayes
Summary: In which Sophie and Martha talk about things that make the eldest a bit uncomfortable. Post-book by about 4 years.


**Notes: **This is set a little more than three years after the book, and as if the two sequels did not happen, for I have yet to read them. My first fic for _Howl's Moving Castle,_ and not shown to a beta. Reviews are like cream cakes! :3

In Which Sophie Is Introduced To A Terrifying Notion

"—I'm not saying I want one!"

"But you said you did!"

"I said it might be nice, but I do not think it would ever be nice for me."

"Is this that business of being the eldest again? I think you've proven you can overcome it."

"Martha dear, drop it." Sophie sat smartly on the three legged stool, trying greatly to ignore her youngest sister.

The new Martha Fisher was twiddling her thumbs and smiling that pretty smile as she let the chair support her much as Sophie had when she was old. It was no longer comfortable to set her hands upon her knees, so she settled to rest them upon the swell of her newly plump stomach. She was glowing more than normal and the excess of womanly hormones was enough to keep Calcifer hiding under a log. He hadn't made a peep all morning.

"But Sophie, wouldn't it be nice to have a little one? Maybe you don't want ten, but one or two would be such a joy!" Martha gushed as she peered into the hearth and winked at the shy little demon hiding within it.

Sophie took the time to think of what it would involve to have a child, let alone two. She would have to get Howl in the bedroom. Well, at least she had been able to bully him into letting her clean it. Then she would have to deal with nine months of lugging a growing baby inside of her. She'd have to put up with nine months of Howl's whining and tantrums because she would surely be getting more concern from people than he due to her condition. She'd have to deal with morning sickness and her clothes not fitting properly, and Michael assuring her that he or Howl had a spell to fix it. She'd have to deal with a fussy baby on top of a fussy husband. What if they both fell ill at the same time? What if Howl decided to bring on the oozing green slime once more and Sophie had to fetch her babe before it drown? It had been years, but still.

That was enough to make Sophie firmly tell herself _no_. She wasn't going to be having children anytime soon. Not with Howl, that was for sure. "Does Michael know yet that you want ten children? He's going to work himself into a proper mess by the time you're halfway there," Sophie said without missing a beat. "He's already making himself dizzy getting ready for this one."

Martha frowned at her in a scolding, affectionate way. "Now don't try to change the subject. You need to get on this soon before Howl is past his prime!"

Martha had a point, Sophie realized. Howl was pushing thirty. Sophie smiled to herself as she realized she thought Howl to be old!—much like she had when she first encountered him on that May Day so long ago. How one's point of view changed when they were no longer old enough to be an invalid. He had seemed so full of youth when she had her aches and creaks to keep her occupied.

Martha took her sister's private smile to mean something completely different. "Oh, see! You do want a child! Just think how powerful and beautiful it will be with parents like you and Wizard Howl." Martha was gushing again, something she did more often than not these days.

"Oh, it _would_ be a pretty thing," Sophie whispered slightly horrified. She admitted that while she was slightly plain compared to her sisters, she was by no means ugly, and Howl was something to look at too.

Howl would be so jealous.

Howl would be so pleased.

Since Mari had gotten a few years older Howl had become a bit moody. He missed his little niece he could so easily corrupt and spoil. It occurred to Sophie that Howl did enjoy small children, and he would probably very much enjoy one now that life was very much settled in and they had the monotonous routine down.

How would Howl handle a raging teenager with his dramatic tantrums and Sophie's stubborn streak?

"Hello ladies!" Howl greeted them grandly as he stepped in from Kingsbury, placing a kiss first upon Martha's head, then upon Sophie's. He had a few parcels in his arms and he handed two to his sister-in-law and another to Sophie. "Why are you hiding like that, Calcifer?" the wizard chuckled and poked at an untouched log playfully.

"Oh, Howl! Please tell me it's not more stuff for the baby!" But Martha sounded completely giddy to find that it was indeed more stuff for the coming niece or nephew.

Martha's pregnancy had put Howl into a very good mood. Probably because she didn't live with him, so she didn't steal his thunder all the time.

Sophie sighed to herself and looked to Calcifer apologetically. He would probably suffer as much as she would. She watched as her husband and sister chatted cordially about the child that would dazzle them all in roughly three months, and decided it was time to have a very long, important talk with Howl. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. . .


End file.
